Syrian President Bashar al-Assad Is an Apple Fan, Apparently

The powerful allure of Apple’s (APPL) aesthetically pleasing products has proven irresistible to millions around the world, and as it turns out, even dictators succumb to the siren songs of the world’s most valuable company.

In a global exclusive, The Guardian obtained a cache of thousands of private in- and outbound emails of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his wife.

What do we learn of the under-siege dictator from the emails? Apparently, Assad owns an iPad from which he “swaps entertaining internet links."

The Syrian leader also uses iTunes to download music, although he has to jump through hoops to gain access to his choice tunes. Because of the many sanctions imposed on him by the US, the 46 year-old has to get a third party with an American address to help him download his music and apps on iTunes.

While al-Assad was busy playing with his iPad, his wife was racking up huge online shopping bills. Home furnishing was her Achilles heel, as Mrs Assad splashed up over $15,700 on Parisian candlesticks, tables and chandeliers. She also “instructed an aide to order a fondue set from Amazon (AMZN).” How very Let-Them-Eat-Cake of Mrs Assad, what with the Syrian crisis showing no sign of ceasing,

Head on to The Guardian for more on Assad’s private emails, including revelations about Assad's communications with Iran. The paper also has a moving tribute to Marie Colvin, the intrepid journalist who was killed in a shelling on Homs by Assad's forces.